UNESCO: Six Successful Literacy Initiatives

UNESCO’s 2026 International Literacy Prizes have been awarded to organizations behind initiatives in Lebanon, Nigeria, Thailand, the Netherlands, Mexico and Colombia.
Lebanon: Education as a New Opportunity

Wissal, a 12-year-old girl living in the Shatila refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon, had been out of school and could not read or write. Her situation was further complicated by the risk of early marriage.
By enrolling Wissal in an accelerated education programme, it became possible to help her learn to read and write. Later, she also began passing on what she had learned to her mother.
Importantly, her educational journey did not end there. Wissal is now preparing to study psychology in Canada.
Nigeria: Books Instead of Weapons

In Nigeria, a programme run by a charitable organisation provides free educational opportunities to children, particularly in communities where violence has forced them out of school.

Twelve-year-old Chisom had not attended school for two years because of violence. After joining one of the programme’s free learning centres, she wrote her first book, Book and Peace, within six months.

Through the book, Chisom addresses boys her age, calling on them to choose books instead of weapons.

Today, Chisom teaches five other children herself and takes part in the work of a mobile library.

The programme organisers say they deliberately work in areas considered dangerous, where security concerns limit access to education. Their services are completely free, with costs covered through donations and volunteers.

Thailand: Language as a Means of Rescue

A programme run by the local authorities of Hat Yai, Thailand, connects literacy not only with education but also with community resilience.

The programme has been operating since 2016 and has already reached more than 1,400 learners. More than 60% of participants each year are women.

One of its objectives is to develop multilingual literacy so that people can communicate effectively in different situations and make use of educational and information resources.

Thanks to the programme, one young participant who learned English and Malay was able to use her language skills to help tourists who were stranded during a natural disaster.

UNESCO views language skills in this case beyond the classroom — as a practical skill that enables people to receive assistance in an emergency.

The Netherlands: The Mother Tongue at School

The initiative in the Netherlands seeks to make the school environment more inclusive by encouraging children to maintain and use the languages they speak at home.

Schools are trying to create an environment where children who speak different languages can express and develop their linguistic identity.
Teachers have reported noticeable changes in children’s behaviour when they are greeted in their mother tongue: they become more active and participate more freely in lessons.
The long-term goal of the programme is for every school to create an inclusive linguistic environment, with particular attention to communities that are more vulnerable and are often overlooked by the education system.
Mexico: The First Step Towards Literacy

The initiative in the Mexican state of Chiapas targets people who, for various reasons, have been excluded from education and have not acquired basic literacy skills.
One of the programme’s participants, Nicolasa López Martínez, was able to write her own name and the names of her family members for the first time after just one and a half months.
Although this may seem like a simple achievement, for her it became an important step towards reconnecting with education.
The example also shows that literacy outcomes should not always be measured only through higher levels of education. For some people, being able to read and write their own name can already create greater independence and open the way to further learning.
Colombia: The Community as a Participant in Education

In Colombia, a programme run through Bogotá’s public library network approaches literacy from a broader, inclusive and intercultural perspective.

The programme reaches different groups, including Indigenous Peoples, Deaf communities, migrants, displaced people and other vulnerable communities.

An important part of the programme focuses on Indigenous languages and cultural heritage. In particular, it includes efforts to restore and document the Muisca language.

Community knowledge holders are not only beneficiaries of education but also become paid education providers.

This approach contributes simultaneously to literacy development, the preservation of cultural identity and the participation of community members in public life.

Literacy: Creating Opportunities

UNESCO has been working on literacy since 1946. According to the organisation, lifelong literacy is an important component of the fundamental right to education and can contribute to creating new educational and social opportunities.

The literacy challenge is viewed not as a final limit to a person’s educational opportunities, but as a problem for which appropriate educational interventions can be designed, tested and developed.